Improvement in ticket-boxes for railroad conductors



N. LYMAN.

Improvement i-n Ticket Boxes for Railroad Co-n'detors.

Patented March 19, 1872.

Jayme 3.

EErcE.

NATHAN B. LYMAN, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENTlN TICKET-BOXES FOR RAILROAD CONDUCTORS.

l Specification forming `part of Letters Patent No. 124,839, dated March19, 1872.

SPECIFICATION.

I, NATHAN B. LYMAN, of the city of Buffalo, in the county of Erie andState of New York, have invented certain `Improvements in Ticket Boxesfor Railroad Conductors, of which the following 4is a specification:

My invention relates to a box or receptacle, which is attached to theperson of a conductor or carried by him, for the purpose of depositingtherein the tickets or checks representing the fares ofthe passengers,and with which is combined an alarm device, which can only be operatedupon depositing a ticket in the box, whereby the conductor is compelledtoperform his duty and a fraudulent appropriation of the fares by him isprevented. My invention consists, first, in the combination, with aclosed ticketbox, provided with an aperture for inserting the ticketsand a suitable alarm device, of a movable ticket-receptacle, in whichthe ticket is received before it is finally deposited, so constructedthat an exposed portion of the ticket will operate the alarm device, asherein after more fully described 5 second, in the com bination, withthe movable ticket-receptacle and short arm ofthe bell-hammer of anopening or notch, arranged in the ticketcompart ment so as to expose aportion of the ticket, for the purpose of operating the bell-hammer, ashereinafter fully set forth; third, in the combination, with the slidingticket-receptacle and the horizontal partition of the ticket-box, of aratchet-bar, arranged so as to prevent any retrograde movement of theticket-receptacle sufficient to ring the bell while the ticket iscontained in the receptacle.

' y In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of aticket-box provided with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a sectionalelevation at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevationrepresenting the upper portion of the ticket-box.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in each of the figures.

. Ais the ticketbox, and a the aperture formed in the topthereof forinserting the tickets. b.

is the horizontal partition dividing the ticketboxinto two compartments,and b' the aperture in the partition b through which the tickets aredropped into the lower compartment. The ticket-box` is provided with ahinged bottom or door, c, locked by a seal-rivet, c', or in any ywhenforced ont of the same.

other suitable manner to preventaccess to the interior by unauthorizedpersons. D is the movable ticket-receptacle, consisting of a narrow box,open at the top and bottom. It is provided with a shank, d, passing.through a horizontal slot, e, in the front plate of the box A, andcarrying on the outside a shield, f, covering the slot e and a handle orknob, g, by which 'the receptacle D is operated. h h are plates attachedto the top and bottom of the ticket-receptacle D so as to properly guideit in its movements and to obstruct the apertures c and b when thereceptacle does not coincide with them. VThe upper plates la, slideunder the plates i, while the lower plates h' slide on the partition b.7c. is an opening or notch arranged in the receptacle D, preferably inits upper portion, so as to expose a portion of the ticket containedtherein. L is the bell or other suitable alarm device attached to therear plate of the box A, and Z the bell-hammer, provided with a spring,l. The hammer l is attached to a shaft, fm, supported in the plates ofthe box. a is an arm, also attached to the shaft m so as to form theshort arm of the bell! hammer. Its end, which is preferably iiattened,reaches down to a horizontalline thron gh the opening 7c of theticket-receptacle, as clearly shown in the drawing, sufcient clearancebeing allowed on all sides to prevent the ticketreceptacle from comingin contact with the arm a. ois a bar provided with ratchets, andarranged on the partition b in the direction of the movement of theticket-receptacle D, the latter being notched so as to pass over the baro. p is a spiral spring attached to the ticketreceptacle, and connectedto the box A so as to returnthe receptacle to its former position q arethe loops through which passes the strap or belt by which the ticket-boxis attached to the person of the conductor. Instead of employing theknob g and concomitant parts forA operating the ticket-receptacle, ahand-lever, arranged on the outside of the box, and attached to a shaft,which carries a cam or eccentric connectin g with the ticketreceptacle,may be used.

The operation of my improved ticket-box is as follows: Upon inserting aticket in the receptacle D through the aperture a and moving thereceptacle toward the aperture b', in order to deposit the ticket in thelower compartment, the portion of the ticket exposed in the. opening 7ccomes in contact with the arm n and moves the same so as to raise thebell-hammer l. When the ticket-receptacle reaches the aperture b theticketn has passed under the arm n, which, being liberated, the spring lreturns the 'striking mechanism to its former position, ringing the bellL, While the ticket is dropped through the aperture bf into the lowercompartment. When the alarm has been sounded the ticket-receptacle isreleased, and returned to its position under the aperture a., bythespring' p.y The ratchet-bar o prevents the receptacle D from movingbackward. suficieutly t0 ring the bell while the ticket is containedtherein, thus preventing ringing of the bell by a partial movement ofthe receptacle D Without depositing the ticket in the lower compartment.When no ticket is inserted in the receptacle D the latter moves freelyWithout operating the. bell L. If very substantial tickets are used theopening k of the ticketreceptacle may be dispensed with and a projectingportion of the ticket may be made to operate the bell-hammer. Forcomparatively thin tickets the opening 7c is preferable, as the exposedportion of the ticket is supported on three sides, whereby bending ortcarin g of the ticket is prevented.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination, with a closed ticketboxprovided with an aperture, a, of a movable ticket-receptacle and analarm device, so arranged that an exposed portion of the ticketcontained in the receptacle will operate the alarm device, substantiallyas hereinbefore set forth.

2. The movable ticket-receptacle D, having the -openiu g k, incombination with the arm 'n of the bell-hammer, substantially as and forthe purpose hereinbefore set forth.

3. The combination of the ratchet-bar o with the partition. b of theticket-box, and the ticketreceptacle D, provided with a notch forpassing over said ratchet-bar, substantially as and for the purposehereiubefore set forth.

NATHAN B. LYMAN.

Witnesses:

GEORGE G. ELDER, STEWART ELDER.

